For the girls – U.S.A.

I know I can’t be the only one who is affected by the dark and gloomy days of the winter season. I used to feel like I was a completely different person in the summer verses the winter! In the summer, I am so happy and LOVE going out. In the winter, it feels like a struggle leaving the house to do anything past 6 PM because it is pitch black outside.

Luckily, over the years of struggling, I have found some solutions to make it possible to get through the winter season without feeling so down and without my social life being affected, that I am excited to share with my readers in this post! 🙂

This used to be me – but NOT ANYMORE! My tips and tricks to overcoming Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) will help YOU live your best life this winter!

1. Surround Yourself with Images of Beaches, Summer Hikes, and Anything that Reminds you that SUMMER IS COMING!

I always make my screen saver at my computer at work a picture of my favorite beach or tropical setting. Additionally, I make my background on my phone a picture a great memory from a summer that I experienced. Small things like this help to remember the good times we experienced in previous summers and give us a lot to look forward! Try focusing on the POSITIVE things you have to look forward to instead of fixating on negative emotions you may be experiencing about the current weather & seasonal conditions.

2. Do Not Let Yourself Give Into the “Winter Body” or Not Paying Attention to What You Eat Because Leggings & Comfy Sweaters Don’t Show the Changes in Your Body!

This is not a helpful or healthy coping mechanism to the cold weather! A way I find helpful to get through the winter without getting down is by stepping-up my work out routine! If you don’t belong to a gym, no problem. I actually will be posting my workouts that I do at home that give me great abs and a toned body without leaving the house (this will be posted soon and I will include a hyper-link here when it is ready.) This is so important because unlike a lot of people who will be panicked to get their “bikini body” back once it hits March or April, you will have an awesome body and progress you can’t wait to show off!

Get that Bikini bod READY for summer!

3. Keep your Place of Living LIGHT to the Best of Your Advantage – Specifically, Utilizing Natural Lighting

Don’t turn your house into a dark dungeon that makes you sleepy and doesn’t stimulate your brain! Get the brightest LED lightbulbs and let yourself enjoy having them on. If it is a sunny day, EMBRACE THE NATURAL LIGHTING! When sun reflects off of snow it is beautiful and such a bright atmosphere.

4. Force Yourself to Go Out!

Trust me, I know that it can be SO hard to leave the house, especially if you’ve been working all day and it’s pitch black at 8 PM – but I promise the tips below WILL help! First off, brunches are an excellent solution to getting your socialization in on the weekend! It is pretty guaranteed to be light outside and it’s a great opportunity to connect with friends, have some laughs, and who doesn’t love Mimosas?! I do understand the struggle of getting out of the house when it’s an evening event, but these tips should help: BLAST music that gets you hyped up while you’re getting ready(I will be posting a new playlist in the next week so keep your eyes out for that!), use self-affirmations by looking yourself in the mirror and telling yourself things like “you’re the sh*t,” “you are going to have so much fun tonight”, or anything else that gets you motivated to go out! The hardest part is getting out of the house, and once you do, you end up having so much fun! Keep that in mind.

5. Keep a Tan NATURALLY by Using St. Tropez

Personally, I hate being pale! I feel so much more confident when I have a tan — like I get naturally in the summer. Over the years, I came to realize part of what was contributing towards my hatred of winter was the fact that I didn’t feel sexy and I didn’t like the way I looked without a touch of tan on me. I found a product that I fell in love with! St. Tropez! I have mentioned this product in previous posts of mine, and seriously want to write a letter to the company saying thank you and your product is what will have saved me from skin cancer, LOL. St. Tropez is amazing because it gives you a beautiful tan & glow, and you can maintain that tan all winter, without having to use a harmful and dangerous method of “fake tanning” using tanning beds at a salon. And unlike some self-tanning products, this one is literally impossible to mess up! You purchase the product & make sure to purchase the mitt used for application. I always recommend watching a Youtube tutorial before you use it the first time, but it’s so simple and gives you results you will LOVE. Sephora and Ulta sell these products.If you don’t have these stores near you or if it’s more convenient for you to order online; you can purchase the 3-hour Express St. Tropez (I use this one) by Clicking Here, and you can choose from a 1.67 oz bottle for $19.00 or a 6.7 oz bottle for $44.00. You can also purchase the Original St. Tropez by Clicking Here and you can choose from a 4 oz bottle for $32 or an 8 oz bottle for $42. It is essential to purchase the Tan Applicator Mitt for $6.50, order one for yourself byClicking Here.

Express

Original

Mitt

6. Try on Cute Summer Outfits!

It sounds silly, but all throughout the winter I am trying on and planning cute summer outfits so I will be ahead of the rest of the game when the sun starts to shine again, lol. I personally feel that it keeps you motivated to look your best and it keeps your mind stimulated. It helps a lot to not fall into the slump of watching endless Netflix series and dreading going outside.

7. Work on a DIY Project

It always helps time go by less painfully when you have a project you are excited about and busy working on! It doesn’t have to be a huge project, you could simply look on Pinterest and search “DIY Wall Decor” or anything that interests you! This is a fun way to spend your time, keep your mind stimulated and distracted from the weather conditions, because it is something you do inside of your place of living 🙂 Last winter I completely white-washed an outdated stone fire place! I will include the before and after below – if any of my readers would like me to start writing posts on DIY projects, please comment on this post and let me know.

Before….

After!

8. Have Fun “Girls Nights” with Your Friends

Just because it’s cold outside, doesn’t mean you have to abandon your social life. My friends and I LOVE having wine nights where we wear onesies or pajamas, watch a movie, drink wine, laugh and indulge in face masks! Keeping up with your friends and making the effort to see them will make a huge difference in your happiness, regardless if it’s winter or not.

9. Plan & Take a Short Vacation, if You’re Able to Do So!

I know this may not be an option for everyone due to work, finances, family duties and more responsibilities, but if you are able to plan a short vacation to somewhere warm, DO IT! And don’t feel guilty about taking a few days that will be a totally uplifting experience for you. Having a vacation to look forward to helps the days go my faster, and just having a few days in the sun can be incredibly helpful for mind and spirit!

Those are my tips and tricks for not falling into seasonal depression, they have worked wonders for me and I hope they help anyone else who is suffering!! Remember to keep your head up, you’re amazing and you got this 🙂